Every British Columbian health authority has been penalized for non-compliance after violent incidents, according to an article on the CBC website.
The latest incident was an attack on a nurse at Abbotsford Hospital, which was recently fined $75,000 for failing to protect workers from violence.
Statistics from WorkSafeBC show 3,722 health care workers were injured by violence at work between 2005 and 2012. By comparison, the law enforcement sector saw only 241 workers injured over the same time period, the article said.
An investigation revealed that the earlier beating at Abbotsford was prolonged because the nearest panic alarm didn't work.
B.C. Health Minister Terry Lake said he is concerned about the recent attacks, but he is not in favor of more security guards in B.C. hospitals.
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